My husband and I spent two weeks in Europe on our honeymoon. We saw amazing art, astounding historical sites, ate delectable meals and had a fantastic time, but one of the most lasting memories I have of that incredible trip was the tile mural we brought home for the kitchen.

It was hand-painted by an Italian artist and shows a boy sleeping in a hayfield with unbelievably detailed scenery all around him. It came at a price - a pretty hefty one, as I recall. But you dont have to travel the globe to have a unique mural in your kitchen.

For less than $100, you can make your own masterpiece.

For the simplest and least expensive option, buy ceramic tile murals already made, or purchase a rub-on or peel-and-stick decal and place it on the kitchen tile of your choosing. It may take a little searching, but you should be able to find something that suits the décor of your kitchen and reflects your personal style.

Or buy some unique tiles and set them into the kitchen wall. Surround them by border tiles or a wooden frame - nobody said a mural had to include a picture; it can simply be textured or patterned tiles that stand apart from the rest of the wall.

Make a mural by piecing together broken tiles into a one of a kind picture. The pieces can be carefully planned out to depict anything your imagination can conjure, or can just be an amalgam of colors and patterns.

Naturally, if you’re the artsy type or have a friend who is, you can make your own mural fairly easily. All you need to do is select your tile and buy enough to make the mural the correct size. Assuming your artistic abilities are oh-so-much better than mine, you can paint your masterpiece right onto the kitchen tiles. To make it a little easier, set the tiles out on your art table and place them tight up against each other. Another good idea is to draw the picture out in pencil before painting, just to get the kinks out before doing anything permanent.

Or even find a picture of what you want and copy the outlines onto tracing paper. One tile at a time, retrace the image onto the tiles.

Whchever way you go, spray or paint a finishing layer on top of your artwork to ensure that it wont be cracked, chipped or wiped away during KP duty.

Murals are great in the kitchen as backsplashes or bursts of creativity along any wall in the room. If youre tackling the project yourself, I highly advise either practicing first before permanently adhering the tiles to your wall, or assembling the tiles onto a wooden board and then hanging the board on the wall, at least until you have a bit more experience. Once youve gotten it down, you might enjoy other creative tile projects like making a mural or mosaic tabletop.

About the Author:

Dean Dowd
Dean has been the Chief Technical Officer of CalFinder since 2007. He commonly blogs about current remodeling trends online.